Romance Writers Weekly - #lovewritechat

If you like to read romance novels of all genres, join the writers of Romance Weekly every Tuesday for our blog hop. We'll be answering the same questions, or writing the same flash fiction, or offering our favourite recipes. Once you've read my blog, the link below will direct you to another. Tell your friends and feel free to ask questions or make comments.

If you're joining me from Betty Bolte, author of EMILY'S VOW and other American Revolution romances, welcome! Let's get straight to the questions...

Was there a defining moment in your life when you knew you were going to become a writer? If so, what was it?

I can't say there was. Like many writers, I've been writing for so long I can't really remember not doing it. But I think the first time I realized I might be good at it came in Grade 7. Our teacher was very strict but fair. Impressing him was hard to do, and if he told you something was good, you knew he sincerely thought so and it wasn't just sugarcoating. When he told me I should try and sell one of my short stories to a magazine I was floored. I still remember the flush of pride I felt. That was when I had the first inkling I might want to be an author.

When you write a story do you see it unfold as one big picture, or do you add layering in subsequent drafts?

I try and get it all together the first time. When it comes to plotter/pantster, I'm about 70/30, so for me, subsequent drafts are for refining what I have, not expanding on the plot. If any layering is done it is because something bent an unexpected way toward the end of the book that requires minor rewrites at the beginning, either for foreshadowing or correcting.

How many drafts do you usually write before you send your work to your editor?

Everyday when I sit down to write, I review what I did the session before. So if we stretch the definition of draft, everyday is a new draft. But if you are talking about drafts that happen after the manuscript is completed, I would say two or three. Once I'm finished with a story, I let it lie fallow for a couple of months. Then I start at the beginning and re-read it, making notes and fine-tuning the writing. If necessary, once I've done the read-through, I will make any major revisions I need. Then I send it out to beta-readers and my critique partners. When I get their input back, I will do another read-through and revision. If I'm comfortable with the manuscript, I start sending it out into the big, bad world then. If I'm not, I might let it lie for a little while longer before one more look.

---

Now it's time to see what Elaine Jeremiah has to say.

Before you go, I'd like to invite you to visit me tomorrow, October 1st on Eden Ashe's website!  Paul and Jemma from my contemporary romance, CHEF D'AMOUR, will be chatting about their life and love. It promises to be good fun, so stop on by!

---